


With These Healing Hands

by chocobee



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [6]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Blood and Injury, Healing Magic, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:47:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22104304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chocobee/pseuds/chocobee
Summary: Gladio is limp and unmoving. “Gladio,” Noct croaks, barely able to breath from both the weight pinning him down and the shock of the situation. There’s no response, and Noct feels something warm and sticky dripping down onto him.“Gladio.”Bad Things Happen Bingo:Cradling Someone in Their Arms
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1380571
Comments: 9
Kudos: 79
Collections: Bad Things Happen Bingo





	With These Healing Hands

**Author's Note:**

> An anon over on tumblr requested:
>
>> Hey! I wanted to request the Cradling Someone in Their Arms square please
> 
> Since there wasn't really any specifics I decided to go with some gladnoct because there isn't enough Gladio whump out there. I wrote it a bit shippy but I feel you could easily read it platonically if that better suits your fancy. Hope you enjoy and thank you for requesting!
> 
> Also I guess this would be in a slight AU in which Noct has healing abilities similar to the oracle? I'm not sure, I just kind of went with it lol. And I'm not sure what that title is either, I couldn't find any song lyrics to fit and use instead lmao. But enjoy!

It all happens too fast for Noctis to really process.

One second, things are going relatively fine; the four of them are holding their own against the pack of coeurls without any real issues. The next thing Noct knows, there’s lots of shouting and then something huge barrels into him from behind, sending them both to the ground as someone cries out in pain.

When Noct lands flat on the ground, knocking his head a bit, something _heavy_ lands on top of him, squeezing all the air straight from his lungs. He struggles for a moment, unsure of what’s exactly happening when he realizes — it’s _Gladio_ he’s trapped under, not a coeurl ready to rip him to shreds.

Gladio is limp and unmoving. “Gladio,” Noct croaks, barely able to breath from both the weight pinning him down and the shock of the situation. There’s no response, and Noct feels something warm and sticky dripping down onto him. _“Gladio.”_

Noct squirms, trying to pull himself out from underneath Gladio’s weight or roll the man off of him, but his Shield isn't moving and he won’t _respond,_ and Noct feels himself panicking.

Then, over the sounds of the battle still clashing around them, he hears it — a faint, raspy breath by his ear. It’s shallow and nearly silent, barely a breeze against Noct’s skin. “Gladio,” Noct says again, partly in relief because at least he’s _alive,_ but also in another attempt to rouse him.

Somehow, Noct manages to crawl out from underneath him, gasping for breath now that his lungs can expand properly once more. He looks up — Prompto and Ignis are still preoccupied with the rest of the coeurls. They seem to be doing their best to keep the beasts back and away from Gladio and Noct, but there’s too many for either of them to come over and help directly. It would have to be enough for now, and Noct’s satisfied that he and Gladio are at least out of danger from being further attacked.

Noct turns his attention back to Gladio, who still hasn’t moved at all. He carefully rolls his Shield over, calling his name a few more times. When he’s on his back, it reveals a gaping, bloody wound in his side. It’s one of the worst ones Noct has seen since they’ve set out and taken up the whole hunting gig. He gags a little at the sight and the sharp iron scent of blood in the air.

“Gladio, you gotta wake up,” he says urgently, quickly patting himself down for potions, elixirs, _anything_ — but finds none. Gladio isn’t carrying anything either.

“Fuck,” Noct says, a bit frantic. He slips his jacket off and leans forward on his knees balling the fabric up and pressing it to the wound. That gets a hoarse cry from Gladio and his eyes snap open, hazy with pain, and he instantly tries to buck Noct off.

“Gladio, Gladio, _stop,”_ Noct says desperately. “It’s just me, I’m helping. I gotta stop the blood.” Gladio seems to register his voice, because he stops struggling and lies still, gasping for breath. “You’re gonna be okay, I promise.”

Gladio turns his head to meet Noct’s eyes. “You ‘kay?” he slurs, voice thick with pain.

Noct lets out a hysterical laugh. “I’m _fine,_ Gladio. You’re the one who’s bleeding out.”

“Good,” Gladio says, and lets his eyes slip shut.

“No, no, not good,” Noct says, taking one hand off his jacket compress to pat Gladio’s cheek until he opens his eyes again. “Keep your eyes open and stay awake.”

Gladio grunts an affirmative, but says nothing more. Noct glances over to where Ignis and Prompto are still fighting. With only two of them, and both of them focused on defense instead of offense, there’s still too many coeurls left. Noct doesn’t have time to wait until they finish off the coeurls or until one of them could make it over with curatives. They’re running low anyways, he remembers. Gladio’s in pain and at serious risk of bleeding out, if Noct’s now blood-soaked jacket is anything to go by. On top of everything, the two of them are still vulnerable to any coeurls that manage to slip past Ignis and Prompto.

Noct doesn’t really have any options other than to dip into his raw magic and heal Gladio himself. It’s more draining than making curatives or spells and therefore less effective, but Noct doesn’t have a choice.

“Shit, okay,” he says, pulling his jacket away, apologizing when Gladio hisses in pain. “You gotta work with me here, big guy. You’re gonna be okay.” He carefully maneuvers Gladio to be cradled in his lap. Noct quick sheds his bloody gloves and tosses them aside, bare hands hovering over Gladio’s wound.

“Just… try to relax. This is gonna hurt, I’m sorry,” he warns, though he’s not sure if Gladio is lucid enough to register it.

Noct takes a deep breath and presses his hands _hard_ against Gladio’s side. Gladio shouts in pain, trying to push away, but Noct holds firm. He closes his eyes and tries to tune out the sounds of Ignis and Prompto fighting and his Shield’s pained noises, and concentrates.

Magic bubbles up inside him, and he focuses on channeling it to his hands. It burns a little, like it always does, and even with his eyes closed tight he can see the bright light emitting from his hands through his eyelids. Gladio’s making pained, choking sounds as the healing magic flows from Noct and into him, and Noct hates hearing someone so strong sound like that.

Noct can feel his strength draining with every second he spends healing Gladio, but he keeps pushing himself. He can’t just let Gladio _die._ He was given this healing power for a reason. Even when he feels completely depleted, he keeps the magic flowing. It pulses hotly throughout his entire body and his head throbs in time with it.

But eventually Noct feels his magic fizzle out like a flame being pinched. He gasps as the connection is broken, slumping forward and opening his eyes to take in Gladio’s condition. He’s met with amber eyes looking up at him in surprise, sharper and more lucid than before. Gladio sits up and Noct feels relief flooding through him at the sight of his Shield aware and _alive._

“Gladio,” he breathes. The last of his dwindling strength gives out and he slumps forward. Gladio quickly catches him against his broad chest. He wraps his arms around Noct and squeeze — not tight, but firm, the way that makes Noct feel like nothing could ever harm him.

Noct’s arms feel like noodles and he’s a few seconds shy of passing out, but he manages to bring up an arm to loosely cling to the back of Gladio’s shirt. “Shit, Noct,” Gladio rumbles. Noct feels it where his face is pressed against the side of Gladio’s throat. One of Gladio’s hands come up to cup the back of Noct’s head. Gladio’s shaking, Noct realizes.

“‘M’fine,” Noct manages to slur, trying to reassure him. It’s not the first time he’s had to use his healing magic straight from the source like this, and unfortunately it probably won’t be the last — but he’d do it as many times as he needed to if his friends were in danger. An entire day of sleep and fatigue seems like such a small price to pay for Gladio’s life.

“We’re okay,” Gladio says, soothingly tangling his fingers into Noct’s hair. The arm still around Noct’s waist squeezes tighter. “You did good. I’m proud of you, Noct.”

Noct clumsily pats Gladio’s back and then lets his arm fall limply. He mumbles something unintelligible to even himself. The sounds of the fight beyond them has finally faded away, replaced by worried shouting and hurried footsteps. Gladio removes one of his hands to wave at Ignis and Prompto before it returns to cradle Noct once more.

“Get some rest,” Gladio says, and Noct already feels himself drifting. He thinks he feels Gladio press a kiss into his hair and murmur, “Thank you.” The rumbling of Gladio’s chest as he talks is comforting, familiar. They’re okay.

Noct closes his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Comments and kudos are always appreciated <3
> 
> [personal tumblr](https://k-ovic.tumblr.com) | [writing tumblr](https://choco-bee.tumblr.com/) | [twitter](https://twitter.com/choco_bee_) | [requests](https://choco-bee.tumblr.com/requests)
> 
> DMs are always open, feel free to come and chat :)


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